The erosion behavior of 304 stainless steel at elevated temperatures

The objective of this paper is to characterize the solid particle erosion behavior of an annealed 304 stainless steel (SS) over the temperature range of 300 to 763 K. Silicon carbide was used as the erodent. Impact velocity and angle were kept constant at 115 m/s and 90 deg (normal), respectively. The results indicated that the erosion rate of 304 SS as a function of test temperature went through a minimum at around 548 K. None of the empirical models or parameters proposed in the literature for correlating room-temperature erosion resistance with a variety of mechanical or thermophysical properties of the eroding or erodent material explained the observed erosion ratevs temperature behavior. However, the results were qualitatively explained on the basis of a localization model for erosion. An analysis of the erosion data also indicated that oxidation of the eroding material and related effects on erosion were unimportant even at the highest test temperature of 763 K.